1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of an improved pillared interlayered clay product, and more specifically, to a pillared interlayered clay product having increased stability at high temperatures and in the presence of steam.
2. Background of the Invention
Processes for preparing pillared interlayered clay products have been developed and used heretofore. The pillared interlayered clays produced have useful catalytic and adsorbent properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,090 issued Nov. 27, 1979 discloses a pillared interlayered clay product and method of preparing such product wherein a smectite clay is reacted with an aqueous solution of a polymeric cationic hydroxy metal complex, or a mixture of such complexes. The resulting pillared clay product is separated from the reaction mixture, calcined at a temperature in the range of from about 200.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C. and then cooled, washed and dried.
Such pillared interlayered clay products have shown promise as catalyst supports and catalysts for petroleum hydrocracking and FCC processes for producing petroleum products. However, a major problelm encountered in such uses of pillared interlayered clays heretofore produced is their instability at high temperatures and/or in the presence of steam. That is, the pillared interlayered clays heretofore prepared from smectites tend to collapse when subjected to high temperatures and/or when subjected to steam contact whereby all or major portions of the surface areas of the clays are lost.
Thus, there is a need for pillared interlayered clay products which have increased stabilities at high temperatures and/or in the presence of steam.